Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

January 17, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on January 16.

Arrests

Police arrested Dźemitryj Pališevič upon his return from Poland, Naša Niva reported. He faces a number of criminal charges.

New criminal cases

Investigators accused jailed video blogger Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, the husband of Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, of defying the prison administration’s orders, the Investigative Committee reported.

Criminal proceedings

The Hrodna Regional Court started hearing a case against jailed reporter Andrzej Poczobut (Andrej Pačobut), the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Authorities have been holding the journalist and activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus in custody since March 2021. He is charged with inciting hatred and calling for sanctions against Belarus.

Lawyer Vital Brahiniec went on trial at the Minsk City Court, Viasna said. The prosecutor accused him of creating an extremist group, inciting hatred, calling for sanctions and participating in protests. Belarusian human rights groups said these charges are politically motivated.

A court in Brest sentenced Alaksandr Truš to 18 months in prison on charges of insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, Viasna said.

Authorities sentenced Minsk activist and tour guide Valeryja Čarnamorcava to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement on charges of participating in protests, Viasna reported.

Former Beltelecom employee Dźmitryj Kachanoŭski was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on three criminal charges including illegal possession of electronic data, Viasna said.

Other instances of persecution

Homiel’s prison authorities transferred regime critic Maryja Kaleśnikava from the medical ward to workers’ unit, a month and a half after serious surgery, Viktar Babaryka’s campaign reported. 

A judge dismissed a motion to send Alaksandra Patrasajeva, currently serving a restricted freedom sentence in home confinement on politically-motivated charges, to an open-type correctional facility, Viasna said.

Authorities stripped the Januškievič publishing house of its license after some of its books had been branded extremist content, publisher Andrej Januškievič said on Facebook.

A court refused to release from custody former journalist Łarysa Ščyrakova, arrested in late December 2022, the Belarusian Association of journalists reported.

Penal colony administration placed Ivan Andrušojć in the internal prison until the end of his three-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Andrušojć was convicted on six criminal charges that human rights groups consider politically motivated, Viasna said.

As of January 17, human rights defenders identified at least 1,438 political prisoners.